Memoirs of My Life and Writings

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About this book

At fifty-two, Edward Gibbon turns from a completed literary undertaking to the history of his own thoughts and actions. He begins by considering why people trace their ancestry, how inherited distinction differs from personal achievement, and what makes an author's account of himself worth preserving. Family roots in Kent, commercial connections and an unusual dispute over heraldic symbols give these reflections concrete detail.

The memoir also follows the practical work behind a developing writer's ambitions. In the middle excerpt, Gibbon explains his defense of classical learning in the Essay on the Study of Literature, recalls composing pages before leaving Lausanne, and describes seeking criticism from Dr. Maty. Revision and hesitation about publication become part of his self-portrait. Readers interested in literary lives will find an author examining his vanity, standards of judgment and dependence on informed advice.

About the author

Edward Gibbon

Edward Gibbon was a British essayist, historian and minor politician. His most important and influential work, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, was published in six volumes between 1776 and 1789, to critical and commercial success.